


Mornie Alantië

by liraeth_archive



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 15:53:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18831823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liraeth_archive/pseuds/liraeth_archive
Summary: Originally Published: Jan 5, 2002





	Mornie Alantië

This fanfic was written in 2002 under the penname Koi and is being added to AO3 for archiving purposes only.

 

Summary: Usagi has decided that it’s time to return home. She is an elf, from the city of Rivendell. And when she hears that a Council is being called, she knows she must attend it. Destiny and Fate work together to bring her together with her soulmate, and destroy her life at the same time.

 

Chapter One

 

Usagi stared at the paper screen doors of the temple in front of her for a moment, not yet prepared to enter the room inside. She knew who was in there. Her four closest friends were sitting at the wooden table with their study notes spread out around them to prepare for the exam at school tomorrow. Her gaze moved for an instant to the things she’d propped against the wall next to the door. Those were things that her friends didn’t need to see, at least not until she’d explained.

 She reached out and placed a hand on the handle of the sliding door, paused and took a deep breath, then silently slid the door open and stepped in.

 None of the other four girls inside realized she’d entered until she’d closed the door behind her, making sure it banged lightly as it shut. All of them looked up and smiled in greeting, but the smiles almost instantly died off.

 Usagi looked between her friends, realizing that she looked drastically different then the last time they’d seen her. Of course, that had only been a few hours before as they left school. She smiled slightly as she observed their silent bewilderment.

 Minako opened her mouth to speak, then closed it. She opened it again, and this time managed to get out a few words. “Usagi…” She whispered. “Your hair…”

 Rei snapped out of her shock and shook her head. “Usagi, what did you do to your hair?” She asked. She looked her best friend over, realizing that the girl’s hair wasn’t the only thing different about her. She was taller and more… the only word that came to mind was elegant.

 Usagi sighed and looked down. “I was going to leave without letting you know.” She said softly. Her voice was tinged slightly with an unidentifiably accent and was much softer than her usual tone. “But it wouldn’t be right. After three years…”

 “What’s going on here, Usa?” Makoto asked. She pushed herself away from the table and rose to walk over to her friend. She stopped short as she realized that Usagi was actually taller than she was. She studied her friend over, taking in the differences.

 Other than her height, the most startling change by far was her hair. It was much lighter for starters. And Usagi had taken it down from the customary buns and cut it until it fell to the middle of her back. The front part of it was pulled back and a few strands of it were braided. It covered her ears and trailed down her front.

 The next difference they noticed was her clothing. She’d already changed out of her school uniform and now wore a dark gray cloak tied around her shoulders, the hood falling to her back. Under it she was wearing a dark colored shirt and long, loose pants. The only jewelry she wore was a silver necklace around her neck.

 “I’m not exactly from around here.” Usagi said quietly. “I came here a while ago, somewhat by accident, and decided to stay for a bit. But now there are problems at home, and I really must go.”

 Now they were all confused even more. “Home?” Ami asked. “What are you talking about?”

 Usagi sighed again. “I’m from a place you’ve never heard of.” She said. “The kind of place you’d only dream of. I came here and disguised myself to fit in. Your culture… it amazes me. It’s so different here, the people and places.”

 “Where the hell are you from?” Rei asked. “What are you talking about?”

 “I’m from a place called Rivendell, in Middle-earth.” Usagi began. “I grew up in the house of Elrond, the king of the Elves.”

 For a moment there was silence, then Minako giggled slightly. Usagi glared at her, which silenced her very quickly. “Elves?” She asked. “Usagi, you’re acting really weird.”

 The answer she received was Usagi reaching up and pulling her hair back, tucking it behind her ears, which were slightly pointed. She said nothing, nor did nothing else, just stood and waited for a reaction.

 She got one. Ami actually lowered her book and stared at her in shock. Rei and Makoto had paled slightly, and Minako was shaking her head slowly in disbelief.

 “I can explain some of this.” Usagi said. “But it would take too long to tell you everything. A little over three thousand years ago in my world, there were nineteen rings of power made. Seven were given to the Dwarf Lords, nine were given to the great kings of Men, and three were given to us, the Elves. But an evil being known as Sauron created, in secret, a master ring that he would use to control all the others.

 “During the time of darkness that followed, three of the rings given to the Dwarves were taken by Sauron. The other four were eaten by Dragons. The three rings granted to the Elves were hidden away and never found. But the nine rings given to men turned them to the side of evil. Now they are soulless beings known as Ringwraiths, which serve Sauron.

 “The one ring, the Master Ring of Sauron, was severed from his hand in a great battle, then lost to the world for two and a half thousand years. It was found and kept for five hundred years by another creature, who then lost it. Over the years, it has traded hands until now it is owned by a young creature- a hobbit- named Frodo.

 “Because the darkness is stirring again, it is now more important than ever that the ring be destroyed. The Elf King, Elrond, is calling a council to decide the fate of the ring which I must attend.” She paused, knowing that there were going to be quite a few questions.

 Rei rubbed her temples. “This is too unreal.” She said to herself. “Elves, Dwarves, Rings with magical powers… It’s just too much.”

 Usagi smiled. “Is it any more unreal than girls transforming into senshi to fight evil monsters?” She asked.

 She received no answer. She nodded to herself, then bowed slightly to the other girls. “It’s growing late.” She said. “I really must go. I only came to say goodbye.” She bowed again, then turned and left the room.

 Outside, she grabbed the items she’d left propped against the wall and began to put them on. The first was a short sword, a little longer than a dagger but still too short to be a real sword. She strapped it around her waist under her cloak and checked to make sure it was secure in its scabbard before continuing. The other items were a quiver of arrows and an unstrung bow. She swung the quiver over her shoulder and grabbed the bow.

 As she stepped into the middle of the temple’s courtyard, she began to mouth words, words that had anyone been listening they wouldn’t have understood.

 In the language of her people, she said, “ _Et Terra Endorenna utúlien_.” Out of Terra to Middle-earth I am come. A soft white light began to glow around her, and then with a flash it enveloped her. When the light died down, she was gone.   
 

~Middle-earth; Rivendell; The Year 3019 of the Third Age~

 Usagi rolled her eyes as one of the men, she recognized him as Boromir of Gondor, began to mutter to himself. She glanced back at the ring, which had just been placed on a stone table in the center of the room. Her gaze turned to Frodo, the hobbit who had been holding the ring before then. He was sitting next to the wizard Gandalf.

 Boromir began to speak out loud. ‘Men are so weak.’ She thought as she listened to him preach about how he should have the ring and take it back to his homeland of Gondor.

 Another of the men sitting across the circle from her spoke up. “You cannot control the ring.” He said. “The ring will only answer to its master.” His clothing said that he was a Ranger, one of the men that patrol the woods and keep it safe.

 “And what is a Ranger doing at this council?” Boromir asked.

 One of the elves sitting next to Usagi jumped up. “He’s not just a Ranger.” He said. “He’s Aragorn, son of Arathorn. He’s the heir of Isildur, and therefore the heir of Gondor.”

 Usagi’s eyes widened a fraction. That man was Aragorn? He was the descendent of Isildur, the man who severed the ring from Sauron’s hand all those years ago, then kept it when it should have been destroyed.

 Aragorn waved his hand and told the elf to sit down. The council calmed down a bit as Elrond began to speak again. “The reason all of you are here is because one of you must carry the ring to Mordor and cast it into the heart of the Mount Doom, the only place it can be unmade.”

 Once again, people began to talk. One of the dwarves shouted, “I will die before I see the ring in the hands of an elf!” That comment caused every one of the elves to jump up, including Usagi, to yell at the Dwarf.

 At first, nobody heard a smaller voice speak up. After a minute, everyone fell silent and looked over to where Frodo was standing. “I will take the Ring.” He said. “Though I do not know the way.”

~*~

 “So you shall be the Fellowship of the Ring.” Elrond said. He looked to where the nine companions were standing. There had been a slight problem from the dwarves. They insisted that they should have two representatives in the Fellowship because there were two elves. Frodo’s hobbit friends had all insisted on coming, but they’d decided that the hobbit Pippin was too young. So they’d selected another elf to take his place.

 So know there was Gimli, the dwarf, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Usagi, Gandalf, Merry, Sam, and Frodo. Usagi was the second elf. She’d volunteered to go after they’d decided that Pippin couldn’t.

 All nine split up to go get prepared. They’d decided to leave the following morning at sunrise, leaving very little time to get ready to go. 

 

 

Chapter Two

 

The Fellowship set off at sunrise the next morning. Gandalf led the way, followed by Legolas and the others. Usagi walked at the end. As Rivendell disappeared behind them, Usagi began to get a strange feeling. Every so often, she could spot something out of the corner of her eye. But when she turned around, there was nothing there.

 Aragorn noticed her watching behind them and fell back to talk to her. “What’s wrong?” He asked.

 The elf shrugged. “I keep seeing something out of the corner of my eye, but when I look there’s nothing there.” She fell silent, peering off into the distance. They were surrounded by large rocks, trees, and shrubs. Even with her Elvish vision, Usagi would have trouble spotting anyone out there. “I think we’re being followed.” She finally said.

 With a gesture, Aragorn signaled the others to pause for a moment. His eyes narrowed, searching the area for anything unusual. Then, without warning, he took off for a group of bushes just behind them.

 Only minutes passed before he returned to site. This time, he was followed by another, shorter figure. Frodo was the first to recognize the newcomer.

 “Pippin!” He exclaimed. “It’s Pippin. He followed up.”

 Sure enough, it was the fourth hobbit. He grinned sheepishly at the look he was receiving from his fellow hobbits, Gandalf, and Aragorn.

 The wizard finally shook his head. “He’ll have to come with us.” He finally said. “Though I believe that was his intention from the beginning. We have no time to go back to Rivendell. So now, the Fellowship will be ten.”

 The youngest hobbit now grinned. “You would have had to tie me up in a sack to get me to stay in Rivendell.” He said. “Besides, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission. Quest. Thing.”

 “Well, I guess that rules you out.” Merry said under his breath.

*~/*\~*

 Usagi stared up at the rising moon, only dimly aware of the presence beside her. She had volunteered for the first watch, and he had chosen to watch with her. Of course, neither of them had any need of sleep. That was part of being an elf. While she did periodically put herself in a trans-like state, she didn’t sleep.

Without moving her head, she looked over at the other person. Legolas was sitting leaned against a tree, looking out at the empty field surrounding them. His pale blond hair had fallen over his face, causing it to be hidden in shadows.

 Breaking her gaze, Usagi looked behind her at the sleeping figures. Three big ones and one smaller one were wrapped in blankets on the farthest edge of the camp. The other four were sleeping closer to the dying fire, seeking what little warmth they could get from the glowing embers.

 She rose without making a sound and moved lightly through the camp to the fire. Grabbing a few small pieces of wood, she tossed them on the fire and waited until they’d started to burn before moving away. She glanced over to where Legolas was sitting, her bright blue eyes glowing in the light of the fire.

 Legolas was watching her silently. She caught his gaze and made her way over to him.

 “Remmirath shines brightly tonight.” She said softly as she sat down next to him. Her eyes rose to the constellation she’d named.

 He nodded, following her gaze. “Evil is approaching.” His voice was slightly tinged with worry. “Danger awaits us.” He looked away from the sparkling stars.

 Usagi pulled her cloak tighter around her body. The air was colder then she was used to, and even though she didn’t feel it as much as Men, she was still cold. The weak moonlight shined down on the camp and helped to light up the land around them. In the distance, she could see the outlines of mountains.

 “We will reach the Misty Mountains by sun set tomorrow, if we have no disturbances during the day.” She said. “If all goes well, we will be at the Redhorn Gate by supper time.”

 Both of them fell silent and wrapped their cloaks around them in a futile attempt to stay warm. The fire was burning behind them, but they were too far from it to receive much heat.

 Usagi drifted into her memories as she sat. It was only two days since she’d left Earth to return home. So much had happened in that small period of time. ‘I wonder how the others are.’ She thought. She reached into her cloak’s pocket and felt the two items she’d stuck in there before they’d set off. The first was a pink watch. It no longer worked here, in this world. The second was more important. It was a heart-shaped brooch. But, inside the brooch was one of her most treasured possessions. It was just a small, shiny crystal that shown like the sun when filled with power. The Ginzuishou.

 When she’d arrived in Japan and met her friends, she hadn’t realized that magic existed there, too. It had been almost fun to play innocent and act immature. It had been just her luck to be selected to be one of the magic girls, the Sailor Senshi.

 But all that was behind her now. She didn’t even know if the Ginzuishou would work in this world. Besides, she wasn’t going back to Tokyo; to Earth. That chapter of her life was over.

 She brought herself back to the real world and glanced once more around the campsite. Everything was quiet.

 Hours passed and the moon passed across the sky until it was behind them. Already, the sky was turning gray as the sun began to rise. The other members of the Fellowship were beginning to stir.

 Gandalf was the first to awake, and he rose up and brushed the dirt off of his cloak and grabbed his staff, which he’d propped against a tree. At his command, Usagi and Legolas began to move around the camp and wake up the others.

*/<*>\\*

 The sun had reached its zenith and was begging its slow descent downwards to the horizon when the group stopped for rest. They had pressed on all morning, not even stopping to eat or rest once. Right now, they had stopped at one of the old stone ruins.

 Food was being cooked over a fire above where they were sitting. The man, Boromir, was teaching two of the hobbits- Pippin and Merry- to use their swords as best they could in the limited time he had to teach them.

 Gimli the Dwarf had jumped up to one of the higher rocks that jutted out of the ground to look at the surrounding countryside.

 “If anyone’s asking me,” He said. “And I note they’re not, I’d say we’re taking the long way around. Why don’t we go through the caves of Moria? My cousin, Balin, would give us a warm welcome.”

 Gandalf said something to him that the others couldn’t hear, but from the looks of it he was very against going into Moria.

 Legolas jumped up lightly onto a rock beside the Dwarf and looked out into the distance, shading his eyes to see better. “What is that, on the horizon?” He asked.

 “Just a wisp of cloud.” Gimli said, waving off the Elf’s concern.

 Usagi’s eyes narrowed and she rose to get a better look. “It’s getting closer and moving fast against the wind.” She pointed out.

 Gandalf’s eyes narrowed from beneath his pointed hat. “Crebain!” He yelled suddenly. “Everyone, hide!” With that, he himself moved to duck under one of the stone ledges.

 Frodo rushed to stamp out the fire before throwing himself underneath another stone ledge with his fellow hobbits. Usagi glanced around before jumping down from the rocks and dashing into some overgrown brambles. Her gray clothing helped her to blend into her surroundings perfectly.

 Only seconds after she’d gotten covered and positioned herself to look upwards, hundreds upon thousands of black crows swarmed over them. These were the crebain, black crows from forests far from there. They flew past the site, heading south.

 As soon as the last crow had vanished into the distance, all nine travelers crawled out of their hiding places and reassembled on the rocks. Gandalf looked towards the south.

“Those birds are not natives in these parts.” He said as everyone reappeared. “They were sent by Saruman to spy out this area. The Redhorn gate to the south of us will be watched. We’ll have to take another route.” He turned his gaze to the tall mountain in front of him.

Boromir spoke up, the first to realize what the old wizard was intending. “You mean for us to take the Pass of Caradhras.” He stated. The mountain Caradhras glowed in front of them, the sun reflecting off its snowy peak. “It will be bitter cold, at best, when we get up there.”

The wizard shook his head. “We have no time to prepare.” He said. “We must go now, without any delay. If we’re lucky, we’ll be out of Saruman’s reach before his spies report back to him.

</o\>

 Usagi stepped lightly on top of the huge snow banks. Behind her, the others were trudging up to their waists- in the case of the hobbits and the dwarf, their necks- in the stuff. None of them possessed the lightness of and elf.

 The snow was swirling around them, and they’d long ago given up trying to warm themselves. Through the whiteness, Usagi could see the form of Legolas in front of her. He’d paused to wait for them to catch up. Looking behind her, Usagi could see that the shorter one’s in their group were having trouble.

 With a few easy steps, she brought herself to where the Ringbearer was trying to push himself forward against the strong winds. He was already tired from their long and tough journey this far up the mountain.

 “Frodo.” She said softly. Despite the wind, her voice could still be heard clearly. When she was sure she’d gotten his attention, she pulled out a flask from inside her cloak and popped of the top. “Here, drink this.”

 The Hobbit took the flask, though his hands were shaking so badly he could barely hold it, and took a deep drink. Almost instantly, he felt warmth flood his body and his energy return. “What is this?” He asked.

 She smiled. “It’s miruvor.” She said. “I brought it with me from Rivendell.  Drink only a little, for this is all I have.”

He handed the flask back with a gracious smile. Usagi smiled in return before moving to the next of the hobbits, Sam. She was heading to help Merry when a sudden movement caught her attention.

At the head of the line, Legolas had run forward and then stopped suddenly. His head was tilted to the side as though he was listening to something. Closing her eyes, Usagi concentrated, trying to hear what he was hearing.

“There’s a foul voice upon the air.” He said. The wind carried his voice back so everyone could hear it clearly.

A rumble was heard, then a shower of rocks poured down over them. They were narrowly missed by the boulders and falling snow.

Gandalf’s eyes widened. “It’s Saruman!” He shouted. As he spoke, a giant bolt of lightning came flashing down and struck the cliff above them. Everyone instinctively pushed themselves away from the edge to the stone wall as snow and rocks came showering down on them.

As soon as the rumbling stopped, the nine dug themselves out of the snow that covered them.

“He’s trying to bring down the mountain!” Aragorn shouted. “We must turn back.”

The Grey wizard shook his head. “No, It’s too dangerous.” He continued to argue for a minute before sighing and looking at Frodo. “Let the Ring-bearer decided.” He finally said.

Frodo looked up at the wizard, then to his shivering friends. “We will take the mines.” He finally said.

The old wizard looked unhappy but nodded. 

 

 

Chapter Three

 

The land was dark and sent shivers down Usagi’s spine. She didn’t like this place, where the resting place of so many dead was so near by. It wasn’t right. But, of course, if they ever managed to get into the mine at all she’d be even closer.

 Gandalf had been trying for quite some time to get the stone doors to open. The moon, which had appeared from behind several heavy, gray clouds, had lit up the Elvish text and the doorway itself.

  _Ennyn Durin Aran Moria: pedo mellon a minno. Im Narvi hain echant: Celebrimbor o Eregion teithant I thiw hin._

 The Doors of Durin, lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Eregion drew these signs.

 Of course, the doors didn’t say what to speak. The old wizard had been murmuring spells and invocations under his breath for close to an hour, now, and the moon was already beginning to sink down to the horizon.

 Usagi rested against one of the few trees around, relieving herself from the pack she was carrying for a few minutes. She was deeply frightened of this place, a place she’d heard of only in stories. It was cursed, and an evil demon lived deep within the caves.

 Her fear must have shown slightly, for she felt a hand rest on her shoulder reassuringly. She knew who it was without looking up. “This place doesn’t feel right.”

 A presence dropped down beside her. “I know what you mean.” Legolas looked out across the lake. “I’ve heard of this place from my father. I don’t want to go in there, but I know we’ll have to eventually.”

 “I’ve got it!” A shout was heard behind them and both of the elves turned to see Frodo jump up in excitement. “It’s a riddle.” He looked up at the doorway. “Gandalf, what’s the elvish word for friend?”

 Understanding dawned on Gandalf’s face. “ _Mellon_.” He said.

 Instantly, the stone doors grated open to reveal the dark inside of Moria. All ten of the travelers gazed wearily into the opening, then slowly started forward.

</*\>

 The darkness surrounded them as they set up their camp for the first night. The only light came from the torch Boromir carried and the crystal on the top of Gandalf’s staff. Only a small circle of light surrounded them.

 She could feel the darkness pressing in on her mind. It didn’t help that hundreds upon thousands of rotting corpses surrounded them, either. Lying down on the far side of the camp, Usagi peered wearily out into the darkness. Sleep was evading her.

 Gandalf had said it was a four-day journey to the other side, but they weren’t really left with any other choice than to make the journey. Upon entering the mines, they had awoken one of the beasts living in the lake. The battle with it had sealed them inside.

 The other members of their group didn’t seem to have any trouble falling asleep, and soon their breathing deepened and steadied.

 But still, she couldn’t get to sleep.

\^*^/

 Legolas blinked as he awoke, his eyes quickly adjusting to the dim light. Glancing around, he noticed the other elf on watch. She was turning something over in her hands and looking down at it sadly. Softly, he sat up to get a better look.

 Instantly, she shoved the thing back in her cloak and had her knife ready to strike at the intruder at a moments notice. As soon as she realized who it was, though, she calmed down and slid the knife back into the sheath.

 “You startled me.” She said softly. “I didn’t realize anyone else had woken up.”

 He focused his bright blue eyes on her. “Why aren’t you resting?” He asked. “It should be Aragorn’s turn to watch.” He sat down next to her and waited for an answer.

 Usagi sighed. “I can’t sleep.” She said. “This place is making my skin crawl. And it keeps playing tricks on my eyes. Shadows moving here and there, soft noises.”

 “Something else is troubling you.” It wasn’t really a question, but she nodded anyways.

 Reaching back into her cloak, she pulled out the brooch she’d held before. “Before the council, I’d been living in another world, a very different place.” She gazed longingly at the locket. “I just miss the friends I made there. But I needed to return home.” She stuffed the locket back in her pocket.

 Legolas could sense the sadness in her, even as she tried to push the memories aside. He reached up and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. “You need to rest.” He said. “Go to sleep. I’ll take over the watch for the rest of the night.”

 She didn’t nod, but her breathing deepened after a moment to show that she’d followed his orders. He kept his arm around her until she awoke again.

 ‘ _Quel esta_ ’ Legolas murmured as he stroked her hair. Rest well.

(<*>)

_She was dreaming, and in the dream she was with her friends again. The snow of the artic swirled around them and they struggled to stay warm. And then, one by one, each of them fell, killed by one of the Dark Queen’s evil monsters._

_The scene around her changed, and suddenly she was standing before another woman. This one was also a Senshi, but she was bent on killing Usagi. Around her, the bodies of her fellow senshi lay scattered. But no longer was she just Sailor Moon. Now she was Sailor Cosmos._

 She wasn’t aware that she was talking in her sleep until she felt a hand on her shoulder, shaking her awake. Blinking to clear the sleep from her eyes, she turned to look at the concerned elf whose shoulder she was leaning on.

 “Are you alright?” His voice was quiet and filled with worry. “Your dreams were troubling you and you were crying out in your sleep.”

 Her blond hair swayed as she shook her head. “I’m fine.” She said just as softly. “Just bad memories, that’s all.”

 Legolas rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. “Don’t let the past trouble you.” He said. “Just focus on the future, and on what it may bring.”

 “You’re right.” Usagi said. But she didn’t look at him as she spoke.

 He stood, offering his hand to her. “Come, we need to wake up the others. It will be time to continue soon.”

 The other elf accepted his hand and pulled herself up. Her eyes met his for a moment before she blushed and looked away. “About last night…” She paused and took a deep breath. “Thank you for comforting me.” She said.

 “Think nothing of it.” Legolas said.

 Usagi nodded and moved to wake up the Hobbits. But her mind was focused on the blond elf behind her who was starting a small campfire. She’d felt so safe in his arms, like she belonged there.

 When she’d lived in Tokyo, she’d dated a man- a mortal Man name Mamoru- for some time. She’d thought he was the one, her true love, but she’d been wrong. In the end, she hadn’t been willing to sacrifice her immortality for him, to live a mortal life as his wife. She’d loved him, but her heart had not belonged to him.

 And yet, this Legolas, this Elf from the Mirkwood whom she’d known for a week or so, had captured her heart. She wasn’t sure if she loved him or not, but she felt something when she was with him that she hadn’t felt with Mamoru.

 Behind her, another Elf was having very similar thoughts.

[^<*>^]

 “ _Lle auta yeste_.” Her voice could barely be heard; yet his sharp ears caught he. ‘You go first’. He turned to look at her, smiling.

 “What? Is the brave little Elf girl scared of the dark?” He asked tauntingly. “Why do you want me to go first?”

 Usagi scowled at her partner. “I’ll have you know that this place gives me the creeps.” She said. “There’s no sunlight here, and nothing growing. I want to be back in the woods, and the fresh air.”

 Legolas nodded in agreement. “Yeah, but the sooner we get out of here, the better.” He pointed out.

 The two elves had been sent ahead to scout out the path and find a place to camp for the night, as they were the fastest and quietest. They’d reached a long flight of stairs that were difficult to climb and rested at the top. Now, Legolas pulled himself over the last stair and strained his eyes to see in the dark. “ _Amin utue ta_.” He whispered. I found it.

 “You did?” Usagi pulled herself up and looked also. “Yes, this is a good place to rest.” She looked back down the narrow stairs. “I hope they can climb up that without much trouble. It’s more like a wall than a staircase.”

 He rolled his eyes and pulled off his pack. “Come on. We were told to set up here for the night. Let’s start before the others arrive.”

 Nodding, Usagi set to work.

 In an hour, they had a fire going and were toasting bacon and sausage on it. Both could hear the voices of the other eight Fellowship members as they approached the campsite.

 Gandalf pulled up the last of the Hobbits at the top of the staircase before turning and looking behind him. The two Elves had laid out blankets and had dinner cooking over a small fire, for which the four hobbits were very thankful.

 But, as he narrowed his eyes, he realized that this place wasn’t what he’d expected. “I have no memory of this place.” He said aloud.

~{*o*}~

 They spent the whole next day at the site, resting. The journey so far had taken a lot out of them, and even Aragorn had to admit that they needed rest.

 The old wizard spent most of his time sitting on a rock and muttering to himself. The others were growing impatient, especially the Hobbits.

 Pippin seemed to have forgotten that he wasn’t a member of the Fellowship, and he and Merry were constantly together talking. Now, he looked up and over at his cousin. “Are we lost?” He asked.

 Merry sighed. “No, we’re not lost.” He said.

 “I think we’re lost.” Pippin said.

 Merry glared at his younger cousin. “Quiet, Gandalf’s thinking.” He said.

 A few moments passed, then Pippin had to open his mouth again. “Merry? I’m hungry.”

 Frodo, who had been listening to the two talk, turned his attention from the conversation and looked out into the darkness below their resting spot. He blinked as he saw a shadow move down there.

 He approached Gandalf. “There's something down there.” He said.

 Gandalf looked up and blinked. “It's Gollum.” He said. “He's been following us for three days.”

 Usagi and Legolas looked up sharply at this. They’d both heard of the creature called Gollum, and neither of them liked him at all. But Frodo continued on.

“He escaped from the dungeons of Barad-dur!” He said.

“Escaped, or was set loose. Gollum hates and loves the ring, as he hates and loves himself.” Gandalf said. “He will never be free of his need for it.”

Frodo sighed and looked away. “Pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance.” He said under his breath.

Gandalf looked down at him. “Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many who live deserve death, and some who die deserve life.” He glanced at Usagi for a second, meeting her gaze, then looked back at Frodo. “Can you give it to them? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends, but my heart tells me that Gollum still has a part to play, for good or ill. Before this is over, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many.

 The rest of the Fellowship had fallen silent and all were now focused on the wizard.

Frodo looked down. “I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had ever happened.

Gandalf looked down and comfortingly patted the Hobbit on the shoulder. “So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time we are given. There are other forces at work in the world than the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the ring, which means that you also were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.” He paused, glancing ahead at the paths before them. “Ah! It's this way.” He exclaimed.

 The others jumped up at his words. “He’s remembered!” Merry said, running foreword.

Gandalf shook his head in disagreement. “No, but the air smells less foul down here.” He smiled. “When in doubt, Meriadoc, always follows your nose.” 

 

 

Chapter Four

 

It was pitch dark walking through the corridors, and not even Usagi's sharp eyesight was of much use. She stayed near the back of the line, next to Legolas. A bit of light came from ahead as Gandalf lit up the crystal on his staff. Everyone blinked, adjusting to the sudden brightness, then gasped as they took in their surroundings.

"Behold! The great realm of the Dwarven city of Dwarrowdelf." Gandalf said, gesturing around them.

Sam's mouth dropped open. "Well, that's an eye-opener, no mistake!" He said. And indeed it was, a monstrous cavern with giant stone pillars reaching high up to the ceiling.

But Gimli, unlike the others, wasn't gaping at the immense structures. He was instead focused on a small doorway that was before them. A white light shone out from it, the sun having lit it up through a small window. He gave a cry and ran forward suddenly.

"Gimli!" Gandalf shouted, but the Dwarf wasn't listening. He disappeared into the room, forcing the others to follow him. They found him kneeling before a tomb of white stone and grieving. The wizard ran a hand over the inscribed words, reading them aloud. "Here lies Balin, son of Hrundin, Lord of Moria." He paused, looking down at Gimli. "He is dead then. It is as I feared."

Usagi was about to open her mouth to ask him what he feared when Legolas spoke up. "We must move on. We cannot linger here." He said, shifting uneasily from his spot by the door.

Gandalf ignored him and picked up a large, rotting book that had been held by a skeleton. He flipped through a few pages towards the end before he began to read it out loud. "They have taken the bridge, and the second hall. The ground shakes. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. A shadow moves in the dark. Drums, drums in the deep." He turned the page again. "We cannot get out. We cannot get out. They are coming.

There was silence for a second, which was suddenly interrupted by a very loud clanging sound. All heads turned in time to see the Hobbit, Pippin, accidentally cause another skeleton to fall down the well it was perched on. The skeleton was then followed by a metal chain and a bucket, all of which banged and rattled loudly. Everyone tensed as the sounds finally stopped.

"Fool of a Took! Next time, throw yourself in, and rid us of your stupidity!" Gandalf finally said. He glared at the young Hobbit, but relaxed a little as the silence continued, thinking they were safe for the time being.

Another sound began then, like drums pounding in the distance. Frodo was nudged in the shoulder and looked down to see his sword, Sting, glowing a pale blue.

Legolas hissed, knowing what the lit up blade meant. "Orcs." He said.

Boromir rushed to the door and poked his head out, quickly pulling it back in as two arrows hit the door next to him. "They have a cave troll." He said not-too-happily. He pulled the door shut and grabbed a weapon, using it to hold the door shut.

Aragorn, in the mean time, moved the Hobbits towards the back of the room. "Stay back, close to Gandalf." He said hurriedly.

Usagi grabbed one of the dead Dwarfs weapons and tossed it to Boromir, who then used it to bar the door. As the sounds grew closer, she retreated to the middle of the room and drew an arrow to her bow, aiming it at the door.   
Behind her, Gimli jumped up on the tomb, his ax in hand. "Let them come!" He said. "There is one Dwarf in Moria who still draws breath!"

The noise outside the door grew louder, and holes began to appear in the wooden door where the Orcs were breaking through.

As soon as a large enough crack had been made in the door, Usagi let an arrow fly through it. A shriek told her that her arrow had hit. Legolas and Aragorn followed her example, loosing arrows through the tiny openings and hitting their mark each time. But the force on the other side was too much, and the door burst open. Orcs flooded the room, their hideous shouts echoing in the chamber.

Usagi soon found herself desperately fighting of hordes of Orcs, trying to keep out of the way of the small battle with the Cave Troll that was going on behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a wisp of blond hair. It was Legolas, firing arrow after arrow at the giant monster. None of them were doing much damage, though.

Then her attention was back on the Orcs. Her arrows were spent, and her short sword was covered in a red-black blood. The hobbits, too, had joined in the fight, though where the Ring bearer was she knew not.

The next thing anyone knew, a hoarse shout called out and all heads turned to see the Troll removing its spear after stabbing Frodo in the chest. The hobbit fell, eyes wide and gasping for breath.

Everything happened at once. Merry and Pippin ran at the Troll, attacking it with their swords, and were thrown off. The Troll reared up for an instant, in which Legolas drew and arrow and fired. The arrow struck the monster in its mouth and the Troll fell, causing a cloud of dust to rise around it.

There was little movement, just the final Orcs being killed off. Usagi sheathed her short sword and turned around widely. Her eyes rested on the only fallen person, and a cry rose in her throat. "Frodo!"

The others were making their way over to the Hobbit's side as well. It was Aragorn who reached it first, and he rolled the small body over- and gasped. Frodo's eyes were wide open and he was breathing deeply. He sat up, shaking his head, and gingerly touched his shirt where he'd been hit.

"He'd alive" Sam exclaimed, rushing to his master's side.

Frodo nodded. "I'm all right." He said softly. "I'm not hurt."

Usagi frowned. "You should be dead." She pointed out. "That spear would have skewered a wild boar!"

"I think there is more to this hobbit than meets the eye." Gandalf said from behind her. He gestured to Frodo, who opened his shirt to reveal a shining silver vest.

"Mithril!" Gimli's eyes were wide. "You are full of surprises, Mr. Baggins."

Usagi opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by the sounds of more shrieks and hundreds of footsteps. "More Orcs." She hissed.

The wizard grabbed his staff and pointed to the door. "To the Bridge of Khazad-dum!" He said. 


End file.
